America Wins War on Poverty
Sparking a nationwide party whose scale hasn't been seen since Victory in Europe Day in 1945, Americans from coast to coast today celebrated the successful end of the United States' 44-year War on Poverty.
Democrat President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his declaration of war on want in his State of the Union Speech on January 8th, 1964. LBJ's "Great Society" anti-poverty programs expanded upon the legacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt. While FDR's "New Deal" programs were really just a slap-fight against poverty, it took LBJ's bold action to escalate the battle to full-scale warfare.
Heartless conservatives initially derided the War on Poverty and decried its expense. They absurdly suggested that no amount of taxpayer dollars would ever truly end poverty as long as some individuals chose to drop out of school, abuse drugs, join gangs and give birth to children out of wedlock. Those reactionaries who predicted War on Poverty welfare policies would institutionalize a culture of government dependency are eating crow today.
History will not be kind to the conservatives' now-discredited assertions that the only real way for an individual to climb out of poverty was through education, gainful employment, marriage and thrift.
"The Democrats said we could end poverty as long as we spent enough of my money for enough time on government programs," said taxpayer Alice Anderson. "By golly, they were right! Nobody is poor anymore."
As it so often has been in its history, the United States was behind the curve on defeating poverty. Wealth redistribution and forced collectivization in places like the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and communist China ended poverty in these countries decades ago.
On the campaign trail today, Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama marked the historic event. Mr. Obama chastised Republicans who had long sought a timetable for America's withdrawal from the War on Poverty.
"The Democrats saw poverty could be eliminated, but only if we spent trillions upon trillions of taxpayer dollars over 44 years on government handouts," said Mr. Obama. "We saw poverty was the enemy and we knew war was the only answer and we promised to fight. And Democrats would never just up and quit in the middle of a war!"
"Hope. Change." added Mr. Obama.
The smashing success of the now-ended War on Poverty has given hope that similar wars may be waged and won. The tax hikes and strict government regulations that make up plans for the Democrats' War on Climate Change are expected to be just as effective in the fight against global warming.
Democrat President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his declaration of war on want in his State of the Union Speech on January 8th, 1964. LBJ's "Great Society" anti-poverty programs expanded upon the legacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt. While FDR's "New Deal" programs were really just a slap-fight against poverty, it took LBJ's bold action to escalate the battle to full-scale warfare.
Heartless conservatives initially derided the War on Poverty and decried its expense. They absurdly suggested that no amount of taxpayer dollars would ever truly end poverty as long as some individuals chose to drop out of school, abuse drugs, join gangs and give birth to children out of wedlock. Those reactionaries who predicted War on Poverty welfare policies would institutionalize a culture of government dependency are eating crow today.
History will not be kind to the conservatives' now-discredited assertions that the only real way for an individual to climb out of poverty was through education, gainful employment, marriage and thrift.
"The Democrats said we could end poverty as long as we spent enough of my money for enough time on government programs," said taxpayer Alice Anderson. "By golly, they were right! Nobody is poor anymore."
As it so often has been in its history, the United States was behind the curve on defeating poverty. Wealth redistribution and forced collectivization in places like the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and communist China ended poverty in these countries decades ago.
On the campaign trail today, Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama marked the historic event. Mr. Obama chastised Republicans who had long sought a timetable for America's withdrawal from the War on Poverty.
"The Democrats saw poverty could be eliminated, but only if we spent trillions upon trillions of taxpayer dollars over 44 years on government handouts," said Mr. Obama. "We saw poverty was the enemy and we knew war was the only answer and we promised to fight. And Democrats would never just up and quit in the middle of a war!"
"Hope. Change." added Mr. Obama.
The smashing success of the now-ended War on Poverty has given hope that similar wars may be waged and won. The tax hikes and strict government regulations that make up plans for the Democrats' War on Climate Change are expected to be just as effective in the fight against global warming.